Addie Candib works for American Farmland Trust as their Pacific Northwest regional director, overseeing programming and policy advocacy in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Addie has worked at the intersection of agriculture and the nonprofit sector for over 10 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Swarthmore College and a Master of Public Administration from The Evergreen State College, where her capstone work explored financing strategies for farmland protection.

Paul Schissler is an independent contractor whose long career as a community development planner in northwest Washington focused on program design and project implementation, including facilities, utilities, and affordable homes. Schissler co-founded Kulshan Community Land Trust in 1999 after learning how CLT methods can provide better access to land and capital for people who otherwise have limited or no access. Protecting access to permanently affordable farmland is another way to preserve and enhance what’s best for future generations. 

Chris Elder has been a farm worker, farm manager, farm owner, farm planner, farm advocate, and farm educator - working for Cloud Mountain Farm and Viva Farms, teaching small-acreage farming and ranching thru WSU, working with farmers to protect their land through agricultural conservation easements with Whatcom County, planning for watershed health and climate resilience, and a variety of other long term community & natural resource focusing planning efforts and projects on the ground.  He holds a B.A. in Environmental Biology, an M.S. in Agriculture, and is starting up a new role as the Farmland Preservation Program Manager for King County. 

Ellie Duncan is a farmer, educator, and artist based in Bellingham, Washington. She is the co-founder of City Sprouts Farm and currently leads an educational community food systems program through the Center for Community Learning at Western Washington University. As a farm educator, Ellie is passionate about helping the next generation of farmers develop a love for agriculture while preparing them for the realities of the profession. She is excited to contribute her energy to Coastal Farmland Trust, which offers creative solutions to the challenges many farmers face today.

Paul D’Agnolo is the Farmland Preservation Specialist at the WA State Conservation Commission. In this role he has helped to preserve and steward 8,000 acres of farmland across Washington and he plans to preserve another 6,000 acres in the next few years. Paul brings experience in natural resource management, biology, farming, accounting, and farmland preservation to help Coastal Farmland Trust create farmland access for new and beginning farmers in a way that did not exist when he was farming. From Paul’s perspective, ensuring long-term affordability of preserved farmland through a community land trust is the best way to guarantee the investments made in protecting the land will benefit generations of farmers. 

Sam Wright is the fifth-generation on his family’s small farm in Whatcom County and is dedicated to expanding land and housing access for aspiring farmers. In his day job he is on the founding team of Huntr.co, a Seattle-based AI-powered job-search platform, where he runs operations and partnerships.  Sam is also a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who worked with rural cooperatives in Colombia on community economic development and youth entrepreneurship. He graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Political Economics and is irrationally passionate about the history of agriculture, agroforestry, and sunflowers.

Robin Fay grew up on his parents’ organic berry farm in the San Juan Islands, where he learned about farming first hand. He received a degree in Environmental Policy from the University of Puget Sound, and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Washington. Robin has diverse work experience, including working in bike shops and as an EMT. Robin brings a background in conservation transactions, land use planning, and farmland conservation policy, working to cultivate relationships with farmers and protect valuable farmland around the region. Outside of work, Robin loves spending time outdoors and eating good food with his family and friends.